“What?” Riley asks, and I fight off a smile. “Why peanut butter?”
“Don’t ask questions, just do it.”
Riley groans but does what he asks, returning with the jar of peanut butter. “Okay, weirdo. I got her the peanut butter. Happy?”
“Exceptionally,” Hayes says, rubbing his hand over my back affectionately. My cheeks flush, but my heart sings.
That evening, after the movie and a family dinner, his family gathers their things to return to their hotel. After giving everyone big hugs and sending them off, Hayes and I head back to his room. As soon as Hayes is comfortably in the bed, he opens his arms for me and I snuggle right in, closing my eyes and breathing in his scent. There’s still a hint of cologne on his skin from this morning, that clean, fresh smell lingering and surrounding me like a warm blanket.
I don’t know when or how it happened, but he’s become my home.
Pressing my face against his chest, I listen to the steady thump of his heart, letting it quiet my thoughts.
“Did you have a good Christmas?” Hayes whispers into the darkness. I shift a little bit, hoping to get a glimpse of him in the dark.
“I really did. I’ll have to convince my family to watch that movie next year too. I loved it.”
“I’ll be your backup. They can’t say no to both of us.” He runs his hand over my hair and my heart aches in a tender way, thinking about all the future Christmases we’ll have together. I nestle further into him and sigh.
“I think you made my mom’s day,” he murmurs quietly.
“How so?”
“She was really worried about what to get you. I told her over and over again that you’d be grateful for anything.”
“I loved her gifts,” I say, and I mean it. “Really, I don’t think I’ve had such a good Christmas in a long, long time.”
“It feels right, having you here with my family.” Hayes’s voice drops into a tender register and he turns his head a bit, nuzzling his nose against my temple.
The words bubble out of me before I can stop them. I tighten my hold around his torso and say with all of my heart, “I love you, Hayes.”
He breaths me in, his hand flexing against my hip to hold me close. “I love you too, Jersey. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life.”
I close my eyes and focus on the beat of his heart, slightly faster now than it was before. His thumb on my hip rubs smooth circles. It blows my mind a little bit that Hayes is the one thanking me, when really, I should be the one thanking him.
All it took was a Post-it note and a purpose, and now I can’t imagine what my life would look like without him. Without me even realizing it, he has woven himself into the center of mybeing, and I’m not sure who Jersey Matthews is without the support of Hayes Vogt behind her.
With Hayes on my team, I am stronger than I ever have before. With Hayes, I can be unstoppable.
THIRTY-THREE
jersey
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9
“How’s it going over there?”I ask Hayes when he grunts in frustration.
He turns his eyes to me and scowls. A few beads of sweat form along his brow from his band exercises. “This shouldn’t be that hard. I’m an NFL quarterback for fuck’s sake, and I can’t even bend my leg.”
I give him an encouraging smile. “You’ll be back to a hundred percent soon.”
“Hopefully,” he grumbles. “I feel like these exercises are going to be the death of me.”
“It will pay off.” I get up and walk over to him, planting a kiss on his cheek before sitting next to him on the bench. “Maybe you need a change of scenery. I’m heading back to LA next week to start prepping for my upcoming shows. And you’ll love how much nicer January feels in LA compared to Wisconsin. It’s not crazy hot, but warmer than here.”
Hayes gives me a sharp look. “I’m not on a vacation, Jersey. Playoffs are this weekend. On top of that, I have to meet with thecoaches and trainers and come up with a schedule to get me back as soon as possible.”
“They can’t expect you to be there, can they?” I ask him incredulously. They were quick to get Hayes in for his knee surgery the day after New Years, as planned. “Youjusthad surgery a week ago.”
